The doctor who oversaw the safe delivery of Prince George is recognised by the Queen in the New Year Honours List.

Marcus Setchell, who was the Queen's gynaecologist for two decades, is among those to receive an honour in the latest round, along with actress Penelope Keith, singer Katherine Jenkins, Gavin and Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones and the parents of murdered teenager Jimmy Mizen.

Some 1,195 people have received an award and for the first time since the Order of the British Empire was founded in 1917, there are more women (51%) on the list than men.

Talks chairman Dr Richard Haass, a former US diplomat, said he had not managed to secure consensus on a final set of proposals to deal with flags, disputed parades and the legacy of the Troubles before his end-of-year deadline.

Dr Haass said a working group made up of representatives of the five parties in Stormont's power-sharing executive would now be set up to try and find another way to build on "significant progress" that had been achieved.

UK 'most lucrative' for migrants

Britain remains the most lucrative destination in the European Union for Romanians and Bulgarians with a "generous" welfare system providing a major incentive for migrants despite new curbs being introduced, it has been claimed.

David Cameron has rushed through a plan to introduce a three-month wait before EU migrants can claim out-of-work benefits so it coincides with the end of temporary controls tomorrow that had blocked citizens from the two countries moving to the UK.

But the reforms do not affect welfare payments for claimants with jobs, meaning migrants will still have more in-salary and in-work benefits than in any other major European country, according to Migration Watch UK.

Clegg delivers bold pro-EU message

Nick Clegg warned voters they would jeopardise Britain's economic recovery and put jobs at risk if they vote for anything but Liberal Democrat in May's European Parliament elections.

The Deputy Prime Minister used his new year message to deliver a boldly pro-EU speech in a bid to confront head on the mounting threat of the UK Independence Party.

Nigel Farage's eurosceptic party has consistently outscored the Lib Dems in recent opinion polls and is tipped to perform strongly - and perhaps even win - in May's elections.

Fresh warning as new year storms in

Revellers out celebrating the new year may well avoid a drenching tonight, but further rain and gales are expected to herald the start of 2014.

Thousands of people across the UK are still recovering after storms last week caused widespread misery, with power cuts and flooding ruining Christmas for scores of families.

And forecasters say there is more bad weather to come, with the Met Office issuing a severe weather warning for rain on New Year's Day, affecting southern England and western Scotland.

Multi-sensory display for revellers

A feast of fruity flavours including peach snow, edible banana confetti and orange-scented bubbles are set to descend on revellers at London's New Year's Eve celebrations.

The aim is for an estimated 50,000 revellers, in an area around the size of three football pitches, to be able to taste and smell the party atmosphere when they flock to the banks of the River Thames for the annual fireworks display.

In what is being billed as the "world's first multi-sensory fireworks display", there are to be clouds of apple, cherry and strawberry mist, peach snow, plus thousands of big bubbles filled with Seville orange-flavoured smoke and 40,000 grams of edible banana confetti in the tie-up between the London mayor's office and Vodafone.

Archbishop's new year message

The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged people to adopt a New Year's resolution of tackling poverty in their own neighbourhoods.

The Most Rev Justin Welby admitted that he never usually makes New Year's resolutions as he is "hopeless" at keeping them.

But the archbishop said in his first New Year's message as head of the Church of England that many people were "struggling" in spite of many signs of hope.

Schumacher: Next 48hrs 'decisive'

The family of Formula One champion Michael Schumacher is at his bedside as he faces a "decisive" 48 hours in his fight for life.

The champion driver is in an induced coma following surgery after he suffered a severe head injury while skiing off-piste in the resort of Meribel in France on Sunday.

Doctors have refused to speculate on a prognosis for the 44-year-old German.

Police civilian staff set to strike

Thousands of police civilian staff including 999 call handlers will strike today to coincide with a fresh walkout by firefighters.

About 7,500 civilian police workers in London will take action for 24 hours in a row over pay while Fire Brigades Union (FBU) members in England and Wales will stop work for six hours from 6.30pm.

It will be the eighth strike by the FBU since September in a bitter dispute over pensions and the retirement age.

FTSE 'set for record high in 2014'

Britain's leading share index is on course to end 2013 around 14% ahead today, fuelling expectations that it will reach a record high in the year to come.

The FTSE 100 Index closed at 6731.3 on the penultimate day of December trading last night, more than 800 ahead of its level of 5897.8 at the end of 2012. Trading will close at lunchtime today.

Economists and investors predict it is likely to reach an all-time closing high over the next 12 months, breaking through the 7000 barrier during 2014.